Abstract

 In this Letter to the Editor, we aim to compare the Canadian and the French forensic psychiatry system. Comparing both systems is interesting because France is considered as one of the oldest modern justice systems, and many of the forensic concept are inherited from it or its European neighbours. On the other hand, Canada is one of the countries where the modern forensic psychiatry is born, implementing the actual scientific concepts of criminology. Although the overall goal of the Justicer system and Forensic Psychiatry is the same in both countries, the theoritecal and practical differences help each professional to reflect on their own practice in their jurisdiction.
Highlights
In the introduction, we specified some obvious differences of the legal framework between the two countries
An individual who may have been suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the offence can be found responsible as the mental state may not have been sufficient to explain that he could not control his action
In Canada, the assessment can be conducted in a forensic psychiatry program, where all staff members have developed a specific expertise in forensic mental health
Summary
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Criminal court ordered assessments in France and Canada: a comparison. In France, the Prosecutor is at the level of Judge, which could be perceived as an imbalance in the legal system In both countries, the role of the Forensic Psychiatrist is to highlight the relevant issues pertaining to the legal case of an individual; and the Judge remains free to follow the opinion of the experts, after carefully weighing the evidence. Despite the similarity of the role the forensic psychiatrist plays in both countries, we would like to highlight the major differences in the Legal Background, the Legal Proceedings and the Forensic Psychiatry Processes. Comparing both systems is a way to help each professional to reflect on their own practice in their jurisdiction.
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